Art in Focus: A Brief Self-Guided Tour

An Art in Focus tour in action

Going through a museum can be intimidating. People fear that they might seem ignorant by misinterpreting a painting or worry that they lack the knowledge to appreciate a work of art. Even those who have studied art can feel lost among many works in a gallery. Monstrous canvases can engulf you. Intricately painted details can astound you. Vivid colors can overwhelm you. Docent-led tours are one way to experience art in a museum, but your schedule may not always fit with the ones we offer (every Wednesday at 2 p.m., plus one Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon a month). 

Another Art in Focus tour

To help, the Georgia Museum of Art’s education department has created a series of brief self-guided tours, called Art in Focus. Art in Focus tours are available printed on cards that visitors can pick up just outside the museum’s permanent collection galleries, on a long desk near the stained-glass window of St. George and the dragon. Each one focuses on a different topic, including African American artists, a director’s tour, women artists and a guide for kids. The education department chose these topics to highlight different collections at the museum and to introduce lesser known artists or works of art in a playful way. Each tour highlights five works of art on display that relate to the topic and includes a mix of biographical and art historical information, communicated in simple, straightforward language. Educators and curators carefully selected the works included on the self-guided tours to help visitors make connections to works of art and to lead them through the galleries.

The reopening of the permanent collection galleries after their complete reinstallation during the summer of 2016 inspired the tours. Callan Steinmann, associate curator of education, said, “I’d wanted to create self-guided materials for a while, but decided to wait for the permanent collection reopening to launch them. Now that the galleries have more wall text and contextual information to help orient visitors as they move through the galleries, people can really get a lot more out of their visit even if they don’t have a tour guide.” 

Educators and their interns worked on the content for the guides during the reinstallation, and they were rolled out recently. Steinmann says they plan to add a few new guides every year to correspond with the works being shown in the galleries and to switch up the topics of the tours. They’re currently working on a few new ideas, so visit the museum soon and keep your eyes peeled for new mini-tours. 

Stephanie Motter
Intern, Department of Communications

Art gallery tours led by new guiding voice

Gallery tours are an amazing opportunity for art patrons to learn about and deepen their appreciation of art.  From the context of the piece to the life of the artist, the information given in a gallery tour is often vital to understanding the art. 

However, even with experts personally walking guests through the museum, particular challenges can limit and inhibit the museum experience.  Whether it’s problems with audio volume, articulation or foot traffic, gallery tours are subject to a variety of factors within the museum on that particular day.

David Behringer, owner of the New York City gallery The Two Percent, decided to use modern technology to combat the limitations of gallery tours.

With the use of the antenna-based audio systems company Antenna International, Behringer has transformed his gallery tours into an audio-led experience. Using the technology, Behringer transmits his voice and other multimedia content directly to the tour participants.

These tours, which Behringer calls “Audio Hops,” allow tour participants to wander freely, taking their time with the art that strikes them. People are allowed to spread out, clearing the gallery of the clumps of people gathered, attempting to hear a single, and often straining, voice.

Whether the gallery is empty or full, Behringer can pre-record the audio tour and adjust volume accordingly. He can not only record himself providing the appropriate context and background for the art; he can also record the artists themselves giving patrons even more details. 

In addition to allowing an easier flow of information between the tour guide and the participants, the technology also enables the use of multimedia to help create an interactive, rich tour experience. When appropriate, Behringer uses music or videos to further contextualize work for the guests.  This helps to highlight the intricacies of a method or influence that would otherwise be lost in a traditional tour.

Behringer still gives Audio Hops primarily through beta-testing; however, he has started to allow up to six patrons to register online to participate in tours. And as many possibilities as this type of tour present, he is still figuring out what works best, attempting to optimize the gallery experience for all guests. 

All images from psfk.